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Blake Dowling, left, teaches swing dancing at First and South in Greenport Monday night. (Credit: Katharine Schroeder)

It’s 7 p.m. on a Monday night and Blake Dowling is floating across wood floors with elegance, gently guiding a group of students until they’re perfectly poised and following her directions with grace.

No, it’s not a formal dancing class in a ballroom; it’s the dining room at First and South restaurant in Greenport where West Coast Swing has become a bit of a thing. 

“There are people here who have never partner danced in their life before,” said Dowling, Greenport resident and owner of the shop One Love Beach on Main Street. “Within a week they feel the music and two people are making something happen they never thought they could.”

Dowling has been a professional dancer for nearly two decades. She’s a two-time winner of the U.S. Open Swing Dance Championship and was recently inducted into the Living Legends of Dance Hall of Fame. The particular form of swing dancing that Dowling does is called West Coast Swing, which differs from the high-tempo, jitterbug style where dancers are swung up into the air.

“West Coast is a contemporary form of swing with slower music, smoother dancing and typically no lifts or drops,” Dowling explained.

When friend and fellow business owner Sarah Phillips of First and South found out about Dowling’s dance history, she invited her to host a class at the restaurant.

“I’m constantly looking for ways to cross-promote businesses and collaborate to create more cultural events,” Phillips said. “Food and drink can be the basis of a night out, but sometimes you want a more tangible experience.”

The small, intimate dining room at First and South may not be ideal to host a growing dance class, but the event has gained quite a following. When the classes began last spring there were only a handful of participants, now the class regularly has 20 or more people and reservations are required.   

“[Dowling] has so many followers it was hard to get in,” said Greenport resident and dance student Kathleen Weiss. “Even if you don’t learn how to dance but can just walk the way she walks, that’s something to aspire to.”

Having people dancing in the restaurant is good for both business owners. First and South regulars are now Dowling’s students, and those who were already her students are now First and South regulars.

“If you go by one establishment and there’s a bunch of people dancing in the dining room, you’re more likely to come in and eat,” Dowling said.

West Coast Swing dance classes are held at First and South every Monday night throughout the spring, fall and beginning of winter. The lesson costs $20 and there is a $5 open dance after the class. The event will run through Valentine’s Day, when the restaurant will close for a few weeks, and pick up again around Easter. To reserve your spot in one of the remaining classes email [email protected] or visit blakehobby.com.

Dowling and Phillips will also host a celebration to mark the end of winter classes at Sparkling Pointe winery in Southold. The event is tentatively set for February. Check the firstandsouth.com events page for ticket sales information.

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